Apparatus for manufacturing carbureted water gas



May 18 1926.

G. w. SMITH ET AL APPARATUS FCR MANUFACTURING CARBURETED WATER GAS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 original Filed June 9, 1920 May 18 1926. 1,585,429

G. W. SMITH ET AL APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING CARBURETED WATER GAS Original Filed June 9. l192C) .'5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IVENTO R eorge Wilma/112% May 1s 1926.

G. W.. SMITH ET AL APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING GARBURETED WATER GAS Original FiledJune 9, 1920 IS'SheetS-Sheet 3 ffy: 5,

Me/r ATTORNEY Patented ay 158, 1926u GEORGE WALLAcEsi/rirn, or SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, AND FRANK L. Wmssna. Or'

s MIAMI, Freni-DA.'

APPARATUS j-Fon MANUFACTURING oARBUitntrnn WATER GAS'.

Original applieationled .Tune 9, 1929, SerialNo. 387,717.

'Divided and this-application iled August 5,

19%4. Serial No. 730,172.

The lpresent invention relates to apparatus :tor manufacturing.oarbureted water gas and more `particularly Vto, means `for removing objectionable carbon deposits .from the apparatus `Without interfering with the operation thereof. -V .l

An object of the present vinvention is to provide an .improved apparatus for manufacturing carbureted Water gas in which the accumulated carbon deposits occasioned byV consecutive applications of oil -'othe earburetoi' member :are removed Without inter- `tering with v'the operation of the machine.

' Another object is to provideaii. apparatus :tor oxidizing the accumulated carbon deposits at frequent intervals during the operation -oi' the gas making machines .by -admitting air directly into Aone' ofthe -niembers to burn the carbon therein andwto permit free passage of heat from the checker-brick to the trases, and thereby greatly increase the eiiicieiicy of the,apparatus.'-`

Another object is' an improved yarrangement of the variousemachines `o1 the apparatus to ecoiiomize space and Afacilitate edi-v cient operation-of the respective elements.

A further object is 'to provide an apparat-iis -for enriching `Water gas adapted to operate satisfactorily on `low grades of fuel oil without decreasingthe 'eliiciency of the apparatus by formation of carbon deposits, thereby decreasing greatly the cost of the commercial gas. f

A still tui-ther object is to Vgreatlyincrease the life of the checker-brick inftlievarious shells used in tlie'inanufacture of-carbureted water gas and to minimize the necessity of removing and replacing same by providing an etliectiveimeans for removing the carbon deposits from the checker-brick While it ie-,.

mains in the shells;. and to do this the usual operation of .the n shutting them down. y

Another and further object is to provide an apparatus ot' the type herein vdescribed having` interchangeable carburetor and vsuperheater members adapted to` receivejthe n ses in the upper part of the Vcarburetor member, pass them through theV carburetor and superheater and -deliver them 'from the upper zpart of the member being used as a during acliinesivithout kducts extending `upvvardl the tinieitwas superheater ,to a suitable seal; and '-to provide the superheater while blast gases are being admitted into the carburetor.

' moi'e speciiic object is to 4provide an apparatus p for enriching' Water gas havingV interchangeable carburetor and superheater members; to

provide means Vfor interchanging .tl'iemembers after a series of operating cycles; and to .introduce air into the superheater member during the blow periods Ato remove the carbon .form-ed in it while being used as a superheater.'A Y y A further specificobject is 'the ,provision of interchangeable carburetor and superheater members having valve controlled into .each of said members to admit air during the blow period to the member being used as a superheater to burn the carbon Vformed therein during used asa carburetor. Further objects of this invention lcontemplate an apparatus of the above characteristics,which is of such st-rong'and simple construction ias to insure its properperiormyance under all conditions commonly encountered in this class of Work; and to pro- `videan apparatus Which Wil-lproduce a high .grade enriched commer 'Lal gas from a low grade of uel oil with ,greater eciency and capacity, than possible with any apparatus used heretofore with either high or low gra-de VVfuel oil.

Other and further objects of the'y invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or Will'be obvious from the accompanying drawings, or indicated in the appended claims; and vario-us advantages secured by r`theinvention other than thosehereinafter lspecilically referred to will occur `toene skilled in the art, or become evident upon the-employment `ot the invention 1n practice.Y

for the purposesof illustration .and descrip- A preferred embodiment has `been selected` tion and. is shown inthe drawings, wherein, l. FigureV l is a, plan View of one arrangement of an apparatus illustrating the .present invention, A Y kFigure 2 1s a plan View of the connections air ducts for the admission of air intoV amount of the carbon in and valves by means of which the present invention may be applied to the ordinary carbureted water gas apparatus. s

Figure 3 is a view showing a cross-section of the layout shown in Figure 1 along the line Y Figure l is an end elevational view lof the apparatus shown in Figure l from the end on which the seal is located. Y

kFigure 5 is a side elevational view of the layout shown in Figure .2, and 'i Figure 6 is a view showing a vertical section through one of the shells showing generally the checker-brick therein and the preferred form of air duct for admitting air into the superheater to form an oxidizing Zone.

Ordinary water gas may be manufactured by passing steam through a deep bed of highly incandescent carbon, which has greater amnity for the-oxygen in the steam than for the hydrogen. Theoretically7 the result ing gas consists of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Such apgas is not adapted for ordinary commercialypurposes, due to the fact that its illuminating` constituents are very .low Since water gas can be very cheaply manufactured, vit is desirable to adapt it for commercial purposes, and this is done ordinarily' by. Venriching it with hydrocarbons.

The present apparatus `for carbureting or enriching water gas comprises a plurality of shells, usually fourk in number, consisting of a generator, carburetor, superheater, and a seal. These are so constructed and connected' that thewater gas passes generator into the upper part of the carburetor and from the lower part of the carburetor to the bottom of the superheater and is delivered tothe seal from the upper partof the superheater. Oil is sprayed on the checker-brick in the carburetor Where it is vaporized and mixed vwith the water gas coming from the generator and passed through the superheater where its condition is fixed. Y

In' an apparatus of tliis'kind a certain the fuel oil deposits on the checker-brick of the carburetor. The amount deposited depends to a great extent upon the grade of fuel oil, the low grades causing a" much greater deposit than the higher' grades. the checker-brick places an almost perfect heat insulation betwen the heated bricks and the gases to be heated and the efficiency of the apparatus,decreases in proportion to the increase in the thickness of the deposit, thereby increasing the cost of the commercial gas. n The result of this is that it is more economical with the present type of apparatus to use a high grade fuel oil andv thereby decrease the carbon depositV than to use a cheaper low grade fuel oil and encounter the from theV The formation of carbon on additional deposits. Even with high grade fuel oil, it becomes necessary at frequent intervals to remove either all or a portion of the checker-brick in the carburetor member and replace it with new bricks, necessitating an interruption in the voperation of the apparatus, and decreasing,` its output.

The present invention eliminates the difficulties encountered heretofore by oxidizing the carbon deposits without shutting down any part of the apparatus, and without interfering with its efficient operation during such removal. The heat passes freely from the checker-brick to the gases since the carw bon deposits are removed at intervals so frequent that they do not become sufliciently thick to affect the ecient operation of the apparatus. Furthermore, the checker-brick need not be removed, thereby decreasing ma terially the operating cost and up-keep, an( at the same time permitting the' use of the lower grades of fuel oil. Y

These advantages are secured by a proper arrangement of the various elements of the apparatus to permit interchangeability of the carburetor and superheater members at frequent intervals, which may be at the end of a series of operating cycles that is, a series of Vblow and run periods. An air duct is formed in each of the carburetor and superheater members whereby either cold or preheated air may be admitted to these members, as desired. Y A suitable generator furnishes the water gas which passes from the carburetor to the superheater to a suitable seal and is operated in the usual manner. That is,steam is admitted to theY generator and passed through the bed of incandescent carbon to the carburetor for a certain period until they checker-brick in the latter member becomes cooled by the steam, at which time it becomes necessaryY to blow air through the generator, carburetor and superheater in order toY increase the temperature of these members. These arc ordinarily termed air blow and steam run periods. A certain amountV of carbon is deposited on the checker-brick in the carburetor member Yduring' each of the periods, and as the operation continues the thickness of the carbon deposits yincreases and the area of the passages through Vthe checker-brick decreases. In the present apparatus when a small amount of carbon has accumulated in the carlnu'etor` the carburetor and superheater members are interchanged-by suitable manivuilgtion of the various valves and the carburetor having` the deposits therein is used vas a superheater. To eliminate the carbon deposits air is admitted through the duct in the superheater tothe region of carbon deposits during the blow period. This free air combines with the carbon on the highly heated bricks and 4burns it leaving the member free from carbon and ready for use as a carburetor again.

lOO

rectly throughthe carburetor and superheater members if further heating is desirable. 1

After a series of cycles constituting blow and run periods, the shell being used as a carburetor has its checker-brick coated with carbon deposits. rlhese` deposits tend to close the passagesl and are veiy effective in preventing the heatfrom being communicated from the checker-brick to the gases. Both of these features are undesirable. Thecustomary Way of removing these deposits has been to continue theoperation until the apparatus refused to function or ceased to function economically due to the carbon deposit and at this time to shut the apparatus down and remove the coated checker-bricks and replace with new bricks. ln the present apparatus the mein? ber 2, used as a carburetor thiouighout a series of cycles, isinterchanged and used as a superheater by Opening "and Vclosing the respective valves so that the water delivered by generator 1 is passed through the pipes 5 and 7 into the member 4f, for merly used as a superheater, but which similar to the member '2. In using the memberl as a carburetor and the member 2 as a superheater, the valves 8, 10 and 26 will be opened and valves 9 and 27- will be closed.

In order to remove the carbon deposits formed in the shell While it is being used as a carburetor, air is admitted through the pipe 19, valves 20, and extension 22 into the center portion of the checker-brick in the region of the carbon deposits. Air is admitted to the pipe 19 during the blow periods only and, therefore, does not affect the quality of the commercial lgas or interfere in any Way with the operation ofthe macliines. Furthermore, air is admitted to the member being` used as a superheater, while its temperature is extremely high, and a localized oxidizing Zone is formed directly around the carbon deposits, and they are entirely removed while similar carbon de-Y posits are being formed in the other mem- Tlie car.

ber being used as a carburetor. buretor and superheater members are interchanged frequently and since the carbon deposits are removed once during each change, they neverv accumulate su'fliciently to materially effect the etiicieiicyvof the apparatus. T he deposits are removed increasing the labor over that requir/edby the or dinary operation of such anapparatus and eliminates the necessity for shutting down the machine.

It will be seen that the present invention provides an apparatus for quickly and ef-V fectively removing all carbon deposits without shutting down the apparatus or affecting the operation of the same in any manner. The apparatus 1s simple in conv-in combination, a pair carburetor and superiieater members, a gcn struction and easy to manufacture from readily obtainable parts. Furthermore, the present invention may be applied to the types of apparatus now in use by changes which can be readilyv and inexpensively made.

lhile the preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to thedrawings herein, itis not intended to limit the invention to the present disclosure, as many changes can be made without departing from the essential principles embodied herein. rlhe description is to be taken as illustrative and not in the limiting sense, as "he scope of the invention is defined inthe following claims.

The method herein disclosed is claimed in our copending application Serial Number 387,717, now Pat-ent No. 1,508,807, of which this is a division. Y

Having thus described our invention, what .we claim is:-

1. ln an apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of interchangeable carburetor and. superheater members, a generator for supplying gases to the member being used as a carburetor in Aalternate blow77 and run periods, and means for admitting air directly into the member ben ing used as a superbe-atei' while said genera@ tor is supplying retor. Y

2. ln an apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of interchangeable carburetor, and superheater members, a generator for supplying gases to the member being used as a carburetor in alternate blow and runf periods, and a pipe adapted to be connected to a source of air supply eX- tending into the member being used as a superheater to admit air thereto while said generator is supplying gases to said carburetor.' i

3. ln an apparatus blast gases to said carbuof the class described, of interchangeable catoi for supplying gases to the member being used as a carburetor ,in alternate run and blow7 periods, a pipe adapted to be connected to an independent source of air supply extending into the member being used as a supeiheatei, and means controlling the flow of air ihroughsaid pipe in-:ilef pendently ofthe operation rof the carbu 12b retor. .Y

4. .ln an apparatus of the class described, in combination,` a pair of interchangeable carburetor and superheater members, a generator for supplying gases to the member being used as a carburetor, air conduits communicating with the upper` portions of `each of said members, and independent air pipes extending into the lower portions of said members.

5.- In an apparatus of the class described,

" ings, there is illustrated one arrangement of l und tofprevent their return to the sheT V6 and connected thereto.

members comprises a suitable "ply extends through the ap parutus with suitable connecting pipes and valves forming a preferred embodiment of .the present invention. In this arrangement there is provided a generatori connected toa pair otinterchangeable cz'irburt-tor and superheater members 2 and l by means of main pipe 5 and branch pipes A valve 8 in the main pipe 5 and valves 9 and '10 in the branch ypipes 6 and 7 control the fion' of gases from the generator 1 tothe other paris of the apparatus. Y

T he carburetor and superheater" members 2 and are substantially ident-'ical in eenstruction and are joined at their lower ends by conduit 12. The interior oit each et these smelly having` checker-brick Worr 14 laid therein With a substantial space 15 at the upperpart ofthe shell and a similar space 16 in the lower part or" the shell. The connecting pipe 12 forms a communication between the lower spaces in the respective members. L he upper end oil each oi the shells has suitable connecti ns 1.7 and 18 for air and oil respectively. A pipe 19 controlled by valve 20 leading,` from a suitable Source of air supthe lower part of each shell into the space 1? A suitable elbonY connects it with an extension 22 which entends into the checker-blick work le and communicates preferably with the oei-iter portion thereof. The function of the pipe 19 forming an airduct into the interior of the checker-brick Work 1i Will be described hereinafter. Y

Pipes 24; and 25 controlled by Y lvcs 26 and connect the. spaces 15 in the upper parts ot the shells to suitable seal 28 which is proridedwith a drain 29, and which is adapted to Wash the gases delivered to it,

A pipe 30. leading' from a suitable source et compressed air which is preferably pre-V l'ieeted,r eonnected to the Aower part ot the generator 1 by means @o vot Ypipe 3 *faire f v and pipe 3f-lextending' into the generator.

The pipe 31 is also'conneeted through vulves 3L and 3ft and pipe 35 to pipe 5. rlfhe upper parts ot the carburetor and super-heater are connected With 'the SG attached members 2 and 4- to the Vc .nnections 17 and .controlled by raives 3i. The pipe 19. termin an air duet inte 'the checker-brick 14: et the resuective 1 ,l sheils ma T be connected to anTlv suitable vsoin-ce VoiV air preheated or otherwise7 but preferably is connected to the blast pipe '30,

es shown in Figures 2 and ln the operation ot the appa utils, assuming the shells to be heated to operating temperatures.. Water-gas is formed in the grenerater l in the customary manner by uiternately 'forcing air and steam through a Asuitable bed ot incandescent carbon. '.llhe

tok the member 2 through the. pipes 18. rl'he .8 and 9 inpipes 5 and (S will be open .ieu'ise valve 2'2" .in pipe 25. Valv'es it) and in pipes T and 2i will be closed.

rthe water will then be passed through pipes 5 and into the upper portion of the carburetor 2,'u'here oil is admitted through pipe iti, which eneouuters the heat from the checker-brick le and combines with the Water gas and passes to the bottom ot the carburetor 2 and through the pipe V12 into the superhcater lland through pipe into the 28 VwWhere the gas is Washed and delirered to other apparatus for further treatment or to a reservoir for storage. ln passingthrough the'superheater el the gases are ctired and prevented from returning to their original state.

rlhe generator 1 continues todeliver gas to the carburetor 2 for a short period of ltime until either the checker-brick in the respective shells 'becomes too cool to carburetor hx the .gas properly or the fuel bed in the generator needs to be further heated, in which case theY i'iin.peiiod is terminated and the blow7 period is begun by cutting'ott' the steam from the generator vand passing air, cold or preheated through the bed et carbon and permitting it to follow the same path that the watergas followed in the previous run period, excepting that the gas, instead of being passed, into the'seal 28 is permitted to escape through the valve 39 at the junction of the pipes 24 and'25 -into a stacl: 13. A suitable shaft l0 having' a `Weight 41 attached to an arm thereon is adapted to retain this valve 39 in either openV or closet position. The blast gases are to raise the temperature of the fuel bed and of the Checker brick and super-heater men'ibers and they do not iormu part of the earluircted gas, nor aiiieet its quality in any manner. Additional preheated airmay be passed dilil-5 communicating carburetor and superheater members, a generator torsupplying gases to the. member being used as a each oit' said members,` and independent air pipes extending into the lower portions of said members and coii'imunicating `with the central portions thereof. l v

6,-In an appara-tus of the class described, in combination, `a pair of interchangeable carburetor and. superheater. members. having a suitable brick checker-work formed therein, a generator for supplying gases to the member being duits communicating with the portions of said ii'iembers above said checker. brick, and air pipes extendingY .into saidv members and adapted to be connectedfto an independent source of air supply for admitting air to said members during the air blasting periods independently of the normal operation of the apparatus. Y l

7. In an. apparatus oi? the class described, in combination, a ,pair of interchangeable carburetor and superheater members, havingl suitable brickchecker-work formed therein, a generator for supplying gases tothe menber being used as a carburetor, air conduits communicating with the' portions of said members above saidf checker brick, and air pipes entering said members and extending upwardly into the checker brick and with the center portions thereof.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of interchangeable carburetor and superheater members having a suitable brick checker-work formed therein, a generator for supplying gases to the member being used as a carburetor, air conduits,communicating with the portions of,

said members above said checker brick, air pipes extending upwardly into the center portions of said members and valves in said pipes for admitting air to the central portions of the checker brick to remove the carbon deposits therefrom during the air blasting periods.

9. In an apparatus of the class described,

fin combination, a pair of shells having a suitable brick checker-work formed thereinv to form carburetor and superheater members, a conduit connecting the lower portionsof said shells, a generator operatively connected to one or said shells for supplyiino;`

blow7 and run gases thereto in alternate means extending periods, and independent into the checkerwork for introducing air into the other of said shells during the blow period to remove the carbon deposits therein.

lO. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of shells having suitable brick checker-work formed therein to p operatively connected carburetor, `air conduits. communicating with the upper portions ot used as a carburetor, air conlblow periods, and an air form carburetor and superheater members, a conduit connecting said shells, a generator Vmembers being provided with suitable brick checker-work, a conduit connecting the lower portions oi' said members, a gasgenera'tor for supplying gases in alternate. blow 7"and run periods, devices for admitting oil to the same member during the run periodsto enrich.r the gases supplied, and means for introducing tree air. directly intoy the other of' said members during the blow periods to, remove the carbon therein. l

l2. In anapparatus Vofthe class described, in combination, a pair of interchangeable carburetor and superheater members having suitable checker-work therein, algas generator for supplying. gases to the member being Vused-.as a carburetor in alternate blowf77 and 'iun periods, devices toradmittiiig oi1, to the carburetor member during the run` periods to enrich the gases supplied, a conduit for admitting air to the member being used `as a carburetor during the pipe communieating with theinember being used as a superheater for introducing free air directly into the superheater member during the Yto one oiI said shells blow periods to remove the carbon de- Y posits therein.

13. In an apparatus of the character de-` scribed the combination comprising a pair of shells provided with suitable checkerwork adapted to be used forv carburetor and superheater shells, a gas generator, connections from said generator to 4said shells, means for reversing the iiow. of gases through said members, thereby changing said carburetor to a superheater, and means lextending into the central portions of said shells for admitting air independently of the blast gases into'the member being used as a. superheater to create a localized oxidizing. zone therein to remove the carbon deposits therefrom. Y n

14. In an apparatus of the class described, a pair ofinteichangeable `carburetor and superheater members, having suitable checkerwork thereina conduit connecting t-he lower portions of said members, a gas generator operatively connected to the upper portions of said members, air conduits leading to the upper part of said members, and other air conduits adapted to admit air directly into the member receiving blast gases from the lzo member being used as a carburetor to create a localized oxiding zone in ing used as a superheater to remove the carbon deposits' therefrom.

15. In an lapparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair of interchangeable carburetor and superheater members, said members being provided with suitable brick checkervvorl a gas generator, connections from said gas generator to said shells, valves in said connections for directing the ilow of gases from said generator to either of said shells, a conduit connecting the lower portion o said shells to permit the vpassage of gases from one of said members to the other, pipes in theloiver portions of each of said shells,`and valves in said pipes for admitting air, independently of the gas making opera tions of the apparatus, into the member not receiving gases directly from the generator', thereby creating a localized oxidizing zone for removing the carbon therefrom.y

16. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pair o interchangeable carburetor and superheater members, suitable brickchecker-Work in said members, a conduit connecting the lower portions of said members to permit the passage of gases from one member to the other, conduits connecting the upper portions of said members to a seal, and pipes leading into the lower por the member be-v tions of each of said members for the admission of air thereto independently of the gases passing through the conduit connecting the lower portons of the two members.

17 In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a pair of shells provided with suitable checker-Work adapted to be used for carburetor and superheater shells a gas generator, connections from said generator to one of said shells, and a pipe extending into the checker-Work of the other of said shells for independently conducting air to the region of carbon deposits therein to create a localized oxidizing Zone for burning and Vremoving the' carbon deposits therein.

1S. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination comprising a pair of shells provided With suita le checkere ivork adapted to be used for carburetor and superheater shells, a gas generator, connectionsl from said generator to one of said shells, a pipe extending upwardly into the central portion of the checkerwvork of the other'of said shells, and means for admitting air through the pipe leading to the checker Work in the superheater to oxidize and remove the carbon therein.

GEORGE WALLACE SMITH. FRANK L. WEissER. 

